Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and all manner of businesses in New York State were closed indefinitely, you could find me on most weekdays at anatomie gym in Troy, with a strained look on my face, sweating profusely, attempting to do burpees, hold a plank position or push a sled packed high with weights.
And then, suddenly, anatomie closed and with it went my daily workout routine. But just days afterwards, the gym’s owners and lead trainers, Pat Boyle and Eileen Fitzgibbons, started posting live workouts to their Instagram page.
Besides being the physical embodiment of She-Ra, Princess of Power, Eileen also has a true calm-in-the-middle-of-the-storm aura about her. Check out her expert spiritual guidance below—and a workout plan you can do anywhere on National Fitness Day this May 2.
“I don’t think anyone expected or was even close to being prepared for what has transpired with the COVID-19 outbreak. Life has been disrupted for everyone, and I knew I couldn’t step into victim mode. I had an opportunity to make the best of a situation that was beyond my control. My focus immediately turned from the short term to the long term, from a community perspective. It was no longer about people showing up to our gym, but supporting them when there was so much uncertainty out there. I knew I had to get creative and stay connected. How could I show up for our team, our clients and our community and give them some normalcy and a reminder that, even though our doors were closed, we were still there for them? Every day this has been my focus: lean into community and lead in love, kindness and empathy—and think about our healthcare workers and all of those people directly impacted by this event.” —Eileen Fitzgibbons, co-owner of anatomie
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Home Workout Plan
4-minute round AMRAP
(As Many Rounds As Possible)
1-minute rest in between rounds
- Set 1 10 squat thrusts/burpees
- 20 bicycle kicks
- Set 2 10 single-leg glute bridges (right side)
- 10 single-leg glute bridges (left side)
- 10 plank mountain-climbers
- Set 3 30 glute bridges
- 20 squats (or squat jumps)
- 10 reverse lunges
- Set 4 10 side-plank hip-dips from forearm (right side)
- 10 side-plank hip-dips from forearm (left side)
- Set 5 4-minute plank